Into Darkness
by slider23
Summary: Castle should have stayed in the car
1. Chapter 1

He can't remember the last time Kate asked him to stay in the car. It was long before they were married. Sure, in D.C. she didn't want him following her around, but that was more about the files he didn't have the clearance to read. He knew without a doubt if the FBI had granted him access from the start he would have been right beside had long ago given up on him staying in the car. So he wondered to himself, why didn't he listen to her. It was obviously out of the norm for her to ask him to stay in the car. Maybe, if he had listened to her and stayed in the car instead of waiting for her and the boys to enter the house then following them, he wouldn't be sitting in this hospital waiting room. He wouldn't have had to make three of the worse phone calls of his life. He would be in bed with his wife. If he had just listened to her just this once, he wouldn't be sitting in the waiting room with Ryan and Esposito praying that the surgeons could save his wife's life.


	2. Chapter 2

AN; Thanks to those who reviewed and let me know about the weird stuff showing up when I copied and pasted this. I am using my ipad so I couldn't actually see it. I'm only able to post chapters when I have wifi which is not at my house. So I will try to update as much as possible… enjoy

…

48 Hours Before….

"Castle," Kate whispered as she gently shook him trying to wake him up. "Castle," she said as she raised her voice shaking her husband harder. A groan came from the lump huddled in their bed. Kate saw Castle'a arm reach out as he grabbed the blankets and pulled them into his body. 'Seriously Castle, get up." Kate said finally getting frustrated and shoving her husband to the other side of the bed.

"Hey." Castle said as he moved into a sitting position on the bed.

"Don't hey me Castle." Kate huffed as she walked toward the bedroom door. "You were suppose to be up an hour ago helping me cook breakfast for your mother's birthday surprise. Since you got inspired late last night and and to write another chapter I let you sleep in, but now you need to get out here with Alexis and I before your mom gets up." Castle quickly thanked Kate and let her know he would be right out.

Castle excited their bedroom to find the loft's kitchen counter covered with food. "Morning Dad, nice of you to finally join us."

"Ha ha," Castle replied. "Did you guys make all this food together? You could have gotten me up to help? I mean that was the plan?"

"Castle eve if we wanted to, I don't think you were going to wake up an hour ago. I mean I barely got you up now." Kate replied as she motioned to Castle to sit on the stool next to her.

"Yeah Dad, I heard Kate shouting at you to wake up. Besides, Kate and I had this totally handled. Although, to be honest, Kate cooked most of it. I cooked the eggs and bacon, but the banana bread, pancakes, and waffles was all Kate."

"I did marry her for a reason." Castle said as he unsuccessfully tried to avoid the elbow Kate shoved into his side.

"Grams is coming down the stairs," Alexis whispered as she went around the counter to sit next to her Dad.

"Happy Birthday," the three exclaimed as Martha entered the kitchen.

"Oh my," Martha said as she looked at all the food littering the counter. "You guys did not need to do this."

"Kate did most of it," Alexis told her grandmother as she went in for a hug.

"Oh Darling," Martha said as she hugged Kate and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You did not need to go to all this trouble for me. I know how hard you work. You didn't need to get up early to cook before you left."

"Martha, you know I love you. It was not a big deal. I just wanted to do something nice for you. And actually, Castle and I took the day off to spend with you." Kate said as her phone began to ring.

"Go ahead and pick the phone up." Martha said. "They wouldn't call on your day off if it was not important." Kate nodded at Martha and moved out of the room to answer her phone.

"Well mother, I hope we surprised you."

"Kate doing all the work and you sleeping in your bed, no you didn't surprise me." Martha said as she patted her son's cheek.

"Hey, Alexis said Kate did most of the work, not all of it.

"You should know by now you can't keep a secret from me."

"How long have you been awake mother?" Castle said as he grabbed a plate and started filling it for his mother.

"Since Kate dropped the skillet on her food when she was getting the pan out of the cabinet."

"And why didn't you go ahead and come downstairs then."

"So I could make my dramatic entrance of course." Martha replied with a wink.

Castle was about to reply to his mother when Beckett came back into the room with a frown on her face. " We have to go in Castle."

"But Beckett it's your first day off in months." Castle whined.

"To cops just got gunned down in broad daylight. I don't have a choice. Are you coming?" Kate said as she grabbed her clipped her gun to her belt.

"I'm coming." Castle said as he grabbed the car keys. "And I'm driving."

"Not a chance," Beckett said as she snapped them out of his hands. She apologized to Martha and gave her another hug. She waved to Alexis as Castle and she walked out the loft's front door.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you okay Kate?" Castle asked his wife as she parked her car next to the yellow police tape. He noticed her knuckles turning white as she gripped the steering wheel.

"Honestly, no I'm not alright." Kate said as she turned her body towards Castle. "Every time I get the call and it's a cop, I think about the family sitting at home. I think about Alexis, and Martha, and you getting that call about me."

"Oh Kate," Castled said as he grabbed one of her hands off the steering wheel and held it in his. "I know it's scary, trust me I worry about you everyday. But Honey, You've got Espo and Ryan looking out for you and best of all you've got your ruggedly handsome write/ husband looking out for you too."

Kate squeezed Castle's hand tightly before she replied, "I know Castle I know. But since we started talking about expanding our family I just can't help, but think what that child would do if something happened to me. I know you would never do what my dad did, but even now that my dad and I have a great relationship I still want my mom."

Castle took a deep breath and replied to his wife looking right into her eyes, "Kate, I know you, I know you would do whatever it took to get home to our child. You survived a sniper's bullet, our car going into the Hudson, and survived almost falling off a building. Kate, you are a survivor. And if god forbid anything did happen to you, your right I wouldn't do what you dad did. I would be there every step of the way for our child. They would now what a hero there mom was. They would have Mother, Alexis, Lanie, and to be honest I'm sure even Captain Gates would be there. I know she resists my charm, but she couldn't possibly resist the charm of a Caskett child.

Kate had some tears falling down her face, but she gave a small chuckle at Castle's last statement. "I just wonder if I'm being selfish. I don't need this job for the money. I could do something else."

"Kate, I love you and I know you. You need this job. Don't let fear stop you from bringing justice to future families. You can't live your life on fear."

"How did you get to be so smart?" Kate asked as she wiped the tears from her face.

"I'm smart and ruggedly handsome. You hit the jackpot." Castle said with a wide grin.

"Yes, I did." Kate replied as she squeezed his hand one last time. "Now let's go bring some justice to those cop's families.


End file.
